April 22, 2015 Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Missouri State softball team (26-19, 14-6) dropped the rubber game of the season series to visiting Wichita State (29-21, 11-10) by a 10-6 score in a slugfest at Killian Stadium on Wednesday. MSU set a single season team record with 36 home runs on the year after hitting three on Wednesday as the teams combined to hit five home runs in the game.
"I really like the way this team battles," said head coach Holly Hesse. "We got down early and answered right away and two innings later we were on top. Wichita State is a good hitting team. Nine times out of 10, six runs is going to be good enough to win."
"The home run ball is such a big part of the game now," continued Hesse, "and if we want to be able to compete like we have this year, we have to hit our share of home runs. It is great at this point with two weekends to go in the regular season that we have already broken the record. It certainly helped us stay in this game."
Freshman Erika Velasquez Zimmer had her 16th multi-hit game of the year with a 2-for-4 outing. She had a single, a double and scored a run in the game.
Senior Rebecca McPherson moved within a home run of tying the single season school record by hitting her team-high tying ninth long ball of the season. Junior Erin Duewel and redshirt sophomore Mary Stephens also hit home runs in the game.
MSU fell into a 3-0 hole after just a half inning of play as the Shockers pieced together four first inning hits. The Bears responded in the bottom half of the first as Stephens drew a leadoff walk. She moved to second on a bunt single by Velasquez Zimmer. With one away, Chelsea Jones singled up the middle to plate the first run. Then with two outs, freshman Chelsea Thomas laced a single to left scoring the second run and pulling the Bears within 3-2.
With one away in the bottom of the second, Olivia Roark reached on an infield single. Stephens stepped in a launched a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left-center to put the Bears ahead 4-3 and chase the WSU starter. Velasquez Zimmer sent the third pitch from the Shockers' relief pitcher off the right-centerfield fence, but was cut down on a questionable call trying to stretch the double into a triple. McPherson sent the second pitch she saw over the fence in center to push the lead to 5-3.
The Shockers tied the game in the third with a pair of runs on three hits, forcing MSU to call its bullpen.
Duewel began the bottom of the third with a solo home run to center, her fifth home run in the last seven games.
Wichita State tied the game in the fourth inning and the slugfest quickly turned into a pitcher's duel. Neither team was able to generate much offense until the Shockers put up four runs in the top of the seventh to seal the victory.
Missouri State gets right back to action against #15/17 Missouri on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. The first 100 MSU students at Thursday's game will receive a free t-shirt and items will be raffled off to benefit Allie Alvstad. The Bears host UNI for Senior Weekend at Killian on Saturday and Sunday to close out the home schedule for 2015.
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